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December 2010
Is the momentum shifting in the dropout fight?
The fight continues.
But a new report from America's Promise Alliance includes lots of good news for those battling against the nation's dropout epidemic.
The U.S. graduation rate has increased slightly, from 72 percent in 2002 to 75 percent in 2008. Meanwhile, the number of “dropout factory” high schools — which account for about half of all high school dropouts — fell from 2,007 in 2002 to 1,746 in 2008.
Digital Learning Council: All learners are digital learners
By unleashing the power of digital learning, America has the ability to maximize every child's learning potential, provide every student with the knowledge and skills to succeed in college and careers, and give every American access to the highest quality courses, teachers and resources.
That's the message of a new report from the Digital Learning Council, which was launched earlier this year by former governors Jeb Bush and Bob Wise.
A Wise question about dropout factories
So where did all those dropouts go?
Cynthia Wise, of Seattle's KING 5 news, takes a critical look at a recent report showing a steep decline in the number of "dropout factories" in the United States.
Five Questions for Dr. Stephen Jones
In the first edition of our "Five Questions" series of interviews with individuals on the front lines of the fight to improve graduation rates, NoDropouts.org speaks with education consultant, author and Villanova University associate dean Dr. Stephen Jones, who has called for universities to play a stronger role in battling the dropout epidemic — starting with taking a greater academic interest in athletic recruits.
The 50 percent question
Here's another way to look at the dropout factory tragedy, courtesy of Michael Moe, of NeXtAdvisors, LLC:
"Imagine that 50 percent of the people who went into a hospital died — it would cause a huge public uproar and the hospital would be closed."
Heck yes, it would.
And in that same spirit, we humbly ask:
• What if some U.S. Postal Service offices lost 50 percent of your mail?
Rhee wants you!
Michelle Rhee, the firebrand former chancellor of schools in Washington D.C., has launched a new non-profit organization to push reforms in public education.
And she wants your help.
Here's the pledge that Rhee's group, Students First, is asking parents, teachers, administrators, politicians, and citizens from across the country to make:
We believe:
Great teachers can make a tremendous difference for students of every background; all children deserve great teachers.
Safe at School: Avoiding a Double Failure
The principal rattled off the names of the gangs active at his school — and he did it as easily as easily as he might have recited the names of the other schools in his district.
The Low Profiles. The Hundreds. The Duece-8s. The Black Gangster Disciples. The Crips. The Bloods.
Five Questions for Gov. Jeb Bush
As the former governor of Florida and a prominent member of one of America's most powerful political families, Jeb Bush could have done pretty much anything he wanted to when he left office.
Some figured he'd run for the U.S. Senate. Others thought he'd logically want to sit behind the desk in the office that his father and brother once occupied. The Associated Press even reported the the National Football League had offered him a job as commissioner.
General Motors Foundation donates $27.1 million to help raise graduation rates
The General Motors Foundation is donating $27.1 million to the United Way for Southeastern Michigan with the goal of dramatically increasing graduation rates — and ultimately rebuilding the area’s skilled workforce.
The donation is the largest ever in the 34-year history of the foundation, and comes at a time in which some parts of Detroit — particularly those where the most manufacturing jobs have been lost in recent years — are suffering from dropout rates as high as 50 percent.